THE SCHWA WAS HERE, FADE TO BLACK, GHOST STORY

Neal Shusterman. THE SCHWA WAS HERE

This book got so much positive press that I had been wanting to read it for ages. Finally, I got the chance. Anthony, known as "Antsy," gets to know a fellow student named Calvin Schwa. They call him the Schwa. The Schwa is the kind of kid who no one really notices. He seems to appear and disappear before your very eyes. Antsy figures a way to make money off of the Schwa's unusual talent…until they get caught. Their punishment is unusual, but better than getting arrested. I enjoyed this extremely intriguing and fun novel. I literally couldn't put it down and had to finish it in one sitting. It's certainly not your everyday novel. Give it a shot; you'll be pleasantly surprised!



Alex Flinn. FADE TO BLACK

Clinton Cole is accused of something that he swears he didn't really do, but somehow people think he's the type of person to have done it. He has actually harassed the new student in the past, so why couldn’t he have attacked him? A witness places him at the scene…
This is another great one by Alex Flinn. She really has a way of getting into people's heads. You connect with each character, so that you feel like you not only know them, but see their side of the story. This novel brings up some some thoughtful issues that make you wonder what you would do in this type of situation.

Julian Thompson. GHOST STORY

This was a fun, quirky little story about a girl whose only friend turns out to be a ghost! Anna has moved to a small New England town where her parents have bought an old inn. One day a ghost named Roxy shows up in Anna's bathroom. They become friends, since they seem to have a lot in common. Roxy used to work in the inn when she was alive. Roxy has to complete a task before she can move on. This task ends up involving coming to Anna's rescue. This is a lighthearted story that is not at all deep, but enjoyable just the same.

WELCOME TO THE ARK, LISTEN

Stephanie S. Tolan. WELCOME TO THE ARK
This novel is set in the near future in a world full of terrorist attacks and bombings all over the world. Four brilliant kids, who seem to be connected in some way, are chosen to live together in an experimental home. The two doctors who direct the experiment live with them as parental figures. They give the kids access to the Internet to connect with kids all around the world who are similarly gifted. The house where they live is called the Ark. They kids are hoping to find a way to ensure survival in the bleak current state of violence an mayhem in the world. This book had some really cool ideas. I couldn’t believe that Tolan wrote this back before 9/11.





Stephanie S. Tolan. LISTEN

Charley is looking at a boring summer recovering from an accident that injured her leg. Her mother passed away, her friend is away at camp and her father works all the time. Then an encounter with a stray dog changes everything. Charley meet the dog in the woods near her house. He won’t let anyone come near him. She names him Coyote and sets out to tame him. Charley has an amazing summer with the dog and reminiscing about her mother. This was a really heartfelt novel. It is well written and beautiful! (Suitable for readers as young as around 5th grade)

SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE, FACE VALUE

Jen Calonita. SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE.


16-year old Kaitlin Burke seems to have it all. She's a successful, famous actress on a weekly TV show. But she's exhausted by the pressures of her fame. She decides to go undercover in an ordinary high school just to be normal for a while. High School turns out to have its own challenges. Kaitlin finds out people don't have to be in the "business" to be mean. This was a fun book! If you ever wanted to know inside information about Hollywood, check this out. It showed me just how many people it actually takes to keep a famous person's life going, and it made me tired! I'll keep my non-famous simple life, thank you.




Catherine Johnson. FACE VALUE

Lauren is discovered by a modeling agency on a school trip to London. Her mother, who passed away just after her birth, was also a model. Her guardian, Nessa, is worried about Lauren and doesn't want her to get caught up in the shallow world of glossy photos. However, Nessa soon finds out that her own past is what they really should be worried about. Nessa and Lauren's mom were friends and their lurid past is catching up with Lauren. This turns into an unexpected, suspenseful and enjoyable book. It's quite different from your everyday young adult book. I think it feels so different because it's based in London. There are lots of words and phrases that are strictly British.

HALF MOON INVESTIGATIONS, I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT...,

Eoin Colfer. HALF MOON INVESTIGATIONS

This is great new book by the author of the popular ARTEMIS FOWL series. It's a funny mystery. Also, it has some interesting twists and turns that readers will enjoy. Fletcher is a 12-year old detective living in a small Irish town. He has an actual official badge he earned from a mail order detective school in Washington D.C. When one of the popular girls calls on him to solve a mystery for her, all sorts of things unravel. This is a funny, great book. Also, the end hints at more to come; this could be a fun new series.

Ally Carter.

I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU.

This was a really unique concept. It's about a private school for girls, but as you find out on the first page-it's a school for girls training to be SPIES! It’s fantastic! A lot of humor, adventure, and regular girl stuff, too! Plus, it's already optioned for a movie by Walt Disney. I hope it really does get filmed; it should be great.

THE LIGHTNING THIEF

Riordan, Rick. THE LIGHTNING THIEF

This was so exciting and really intelligent. For those of you who studied the Greek Gods last year in 7th grade (all of you, I think), you will love this. It is a wonderful way to remember the different Gods. Percy Jackson has always been a little different. Since he gets in trouble a lot, he's gotten kicked out of many different schools. He also has a little trouble with school because of his ADHD and dyslexia. Well, he suddenly finds out why he's so different. He's a demigod. His father, who he thought ran off when he was a child, is actually a god. I won't spoil it by telling you which one; you get to discover for yourself. Anyway, he ends up at a camp for half-bloods (that's what they call themselves), and he makes friends with other half-bloods. He also has been fighting monsters along the way, so he learns crucial skills like swordfighting. This was an amazing book that I really loved. The sequel just came out & I can't wait to get it. Oh just wait until they explain his ADHD & dyslexia-it's so cool. Makes total sense too.